The French AI startup Mistral has introduced the first European AI model with logical reasoning capabilities, known as the Magistral series. This model uses a chain-of-thought approach to solve complex problems by generating responses based on step-by-step reasoning, pushing the boundaries of AI's comprehension and decision-making abilities.
With this initiative, Mistral aims to strengthen its position as a leading European alternative to the dominance of American and Chinese tech giants. The company sets itself apart by prioritizing open-source models and has received support from French President Emmanuel Macron.
Logical reasoning models offer a different path from the traditional method of improving AI by simply scaling up large language models with more data and computing power. For Mistral, the launch of such a model is seen as an opportunity to narrow the gap with larger, better-funded competitors.
The company has released an open-source version called Magistral Small, which can reason in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Simplified Chinese, and is available for download on Hugging Face’s platform. A more powerful version, Magistral Medium, is designed for commercial use.
In a statement, Mistral said:
“The best human thinking isn’t linear – it weaves through logic, intuition, uncertainty, and discovery. Reasoning language models allow us to delegate and enhance complex thought and deep understanding through AI.”
While American giants like OpenAI and Google are currently leading the field with proprietary reasoning models, Meta has yet to release a standalone reasoning model despite offering open-source alternatives. Meanwhile, Chinese companies like DeepSeek and Alibaba have embraced open-source strategies to demonstrate their technological progress.
Mistral is currently valued at $6.2 billion, and the launch of this new model is expected to significantly boost its standing in the global AI market.
